📢 📢 May 2025 - events in the Cards and Payments world 📢 📢

📢 📢 May 2025 - events in the Cards and Payments world 📢 📢

⭐ Dubai Fintech Summit - May 12th-13th - Madinat Jumeirah
⭐ Seamless Middle East Digital - May 20th-21st - Dubai World Trade Centre
⭐ GITEX Europe - May 21st-23rd - Messe Berlin

Which ones will you be attending ?
Dubai FinTech Summit Seamless Middle East GITEX EUROPE
hashtag#Payments hashtag#cards hashtag#paytech hashtag#fintech hashtag#dubaifintech hashtag#dubaifintechsummit hashtag#seamlessdubai hashtag#seamlessmiddleeast hashtag#gitexeurope hashtag#gitex

Mastercard announced as headline partner of Open Banking Expo USA 2025

 Mastercard announced as headline partner of Open Banking Expo USA 2025

 

London, New York, 2025 – Open Banking Expo is pleased to announce Mastercard is the headline partner of the inaugural Open Banking Expo USA 2025. The event will take place on June 26, in the bustling heart of New York.

 

Open Banking Expo USA offers an unmissable opportunity for leaders across America’s financial services spectrum, spanning banks, credit unions, cutting-edge fintech innovators, technology providers, and policymakers, to converge and map out an evolving future for consumer permissioned data sharing.

 

Visitors to the Expo can expect a packed agenda that explores real-world applications and offers valuable insights, delivered through expertly curated sessions, compelling case studies, and hands-on workshops.

 

Among the key themes to be explored during the one-day Expo are establishing consumer trust in data privacy, navigating regulatory complexity, and financial inclusion and access.

 

Additionally, the event promises to delve into the commercial possibilities within the payments sphere and anticipate the unfolding journey towards Open Finance in the US.

 

Bart Willaert, executive vice president, Open Banking, Americas at Mastercard, said: “Open Banking is transforming financial services, and the opportunities for growth are exponential. We look forward to convening at the Expo as we work together as an ecosystem to enable innovative and secure financial experiences that responsibly support all parties in the ecosystem.”

 

Adam Cox, co-founder and managing director of Open Banking Expo, said: “We are thrilled to make our debut in the US in 2025, and to welcome Mastercard as headline partner of Open Banking Expo USA.

 

“It is the perfect opportunity to bring together decision-makers and innovators. The Expo promises to be a landmark event that will shape the future of finance in the US.”

Find out more about Open Banking Expo USA and register to attend here.

To receive a discount code enter CPJ20 when booking

Visit the event website with agenda and booking platform

Fractional Working: What It Is and How to Get Started

 An Introduction to Fractional Working: What It Is and How to Get Started

If you've heard the term but aren't quite sure what it means (or how to get into it), this is for you.

As the world of work continues to evolve, so do the ways we think about employment, careers, and time. One model gaining momentum across industries is fractional working — a flexible, agile approach that’s reshaping how businesses access talent and how professionals design their careers.

So, What Is Fractional Working?

At its core, fractional working means offering your professional skills to multiple companies or clients on a part-time or project basis — typically in a strategic, high-impact role. Think of it as a middle ground between full-time employment and freelancing.

Common in leadership and specialist roles, you might see titles like:

• Fractional CMO
• Fractional CFO
• Fractional HR Director
• Fractional Product Manager

The idea is that a business gets senior-level expertise without the cost or commitment of a full-time hire, while the professional gains flexibility, variety, and autonomy.

Why Is It Growing?

The rise of fractional roles is driven by a few key trends:

• Startups and SMEs needing experienced leadership but lacking the budget for full-time hires
• Professionals seeking flexibility, variety, or a better work-life blend
• A shift toward outcomes-based work rather than time-based contracts

It’s particularly popular in tech, marketing, finance, HR, and operations — but it’s spreading fast.

Is Fractional Right for You?

You might be a good fit for fractional work if:

• You’re an experienced professional with a strong niche or area of expertise
• You’re looking for more autonomy or a portfolio-style career
• You enjoy solving problems, building systems, and moving between teams or projects

It works well for ex-founders, former executives, consultants, Subject Matter Experts and even full-time professionals looking to transition out of the 9–5.

How to Get Started

1. Define Your Offering
What do you want to be known for? Are you a growth strategist, a finance operator, a brand builder? Get clear on your value proposition — what problems do you solve, and for whom?

2. Package Yourself
Update your LinkedIn to reflect your fractional identity. Think clear headlines (e.g. "Fractional CMO | Scaling early-stage startups"). Consider a personal website or service page, and have case studies or examples ready.

3. Leverage Your Network
Many fractional gigs come through word of mouth. Reach out to former colleagues, clients, or connections. Let people know you’re available on a part-time or project basis.

4. Think Long-Term Relationships, Not One-Off Gigs
Fractional doesn’t mean disposable — in fact, many businesses want an ongoing, strategic partner. Focus on delivering value and becoming a trusted part of the team.

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Final Thought

Fractional work isn’t just a career experiment — for many, it’s the future of how we work. It’s about doing meaningful, strategic work on your own terms.

Whether you’re exploring options or already part of the movement, there’s never been a better time to build a career that fits your life.

Have you stepped into the fractional world? Or thinking about it? I’d love to hear your experience 👇

#paymentjobs #fintechjobs #fractionalwork #fractionalworking

What (not ) to wear for a job interview ....

 I was prepping a candidate for an interview last week when he said “I’ve got a really stupid question”

“what should you wear ?”  I guessed

“yes” he answered

Except, it’s not a stupid question, ever…

It is rare a company wants you to turn up completely suited and booted to an interview. In fact , some start ups or disruptors would baulk at a candidate in as much as a shirt and blazer, especially if they have a team of  techies wearing hoodies and headphones.

So don’t be afraid to ask your recruiter what to wear. We will be able to guide you but if you do forget to ask, a shirt will cover all bases.

Which reminds me of a time a colleague prepped a candidate for a job where the hiring manager was quite old school and the candidate was told to wear a shirt.

When my colleague  turned up to meet the candidate an hour before the interview for a coffee he was mortified to find him wearing a dirty t-shirt with an unironed unbuttoned lumberjack shirt thrown over the top. Not to mention the accompanying dirty nails …

Whilst our clients general advice is to  “just look smart”, in reality  “smart”  means different things to different people.

Additionally, online interviews appear to have blurred the lines somewhat for candidates who seem to embrace the comfort of their own home a little too much  with one turning up to a  Teams in a darkened room with his hoodie on and the hood up, another turning up in a boob tube and yet another who showed up braless in an off the shoulder top.

This week alone, we had a candidate turn up to an interview with the camera switched off ( yes he had an invite with the Teams link ). When the interviewer asked him to switch the camera on he said he didn’t really want to because he was in his dressing gown …

We have even heard about one candidate rocking up in a cowboy hat.

The key to dressing for an interview is to err on the side of sartorial caution and scrub up well.

But not so clean that you have just stepped out the shower…

What fashion faux pas have you heard of in an interview or office environment?

#whatnottowear #interview #interviewtips #paymentjobs #fintechjobs

Contactless limit set to rise to £45

The contactless payment limit of £30 in the UK is to be raised in an effort to reduce the need for physical contact with Payment devices as well as to reduce the need for handling cash.

Banking Industry group UK Finance said that from April 1st, the new £45 limit would be applied at many stores though it would take longer to roll out across the retail network as a whole.

The decision to raise the limit was taken following consultation between the retail sector and the finance and payments industry and follows similar increases in several other European countries over the past week.

In the past few days, governments and the payments industry in Greece, Ireland, Malta, Poland and Turkey have worked together to raise the contactless payments limit

The changes were already under consideration by the industry, but the process has been expedited as part of the industry’s response to the Covid-19 outbreak to support consumers who choose to pay using contactless at this time.

From 1 April 2020, consumers will begin to see an increasing number of retailers accepting contactless card payments up to the new £45 limit. Given the pace at which this change is being rolled out, the new limits will take some time to be introduced across all retailers, including some of those facing additional pressure due to the Covid-19 outbreak.

For consumers spending more than £45 there are many ways to choose to pay, for example through Chip & PIN, cash and alternatives such as mobile payments which do not have an upper limit when authenticated through biometric technologies.

Stephen Jones, CEO of UK Finance, said:

“The payments industry has been working closely with retailers to be able to increase the contactless payment limit to help customers with their shopping at this critical time for the country.

“This will give more people the choice to opt for the speed and convenience of purchasing goods using their contactless card, helping to cut queues at the checkout.

“The industry continues to work closely with the government and regulators to support customers impacted by Covid-19 and ensure that they can pay in a way that suits them.”

Latest figures from UK Finance reveal that £80.5 million was spent on contactless payments in 2019, up 16% on the previous year. We will undoubtedly see a bigger uplift in figures for the coming year.

For the latest payment and fintech jobs, go to www.cardandpaymentjobs.com

Contactless transactions set to rise amidst Coronavirus spread ?

We’ve all been told to wash our hands whilst singing “Happy Birthday” (twice) or if you’re Boris, “God Save the Queen” but now The World Health Organisation is advising consumers to avoid handling bank notes and switch to contactless payments instead to prevent spreading coronavirus.

The advice follows China and Korea’s isolation and  disinfection of used bank notes, which are known carriers of viruses and bacteria.

A 2017 study of used bank notes in New York found 397 distinct bacterial species crawling across the bills.

A World Health Organisation spokesperson told The Telegraph: 'We know that money changes hands frequently and can pick up all sorts of bacteria and viruses.

'We would advise people to wash their hands after handling banknotes, and avoid touching their face.

'When possible it would also be advisable to use contactless payments to reduce the risk of transmission.'

For the latest jobs in the card, payment and fintech space, go to www.cardandpaymentjobs.com